Patents by Inventor Geoff F. Deane

Geoff F. Deane has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Method of controlling electrical rotating machines connected to a common shaft
    Patent number: 7002259
    Abstract: A controller for high torque, low RPM wind turbines and ocean current turbines. The turbine consists of a large, input power shaft-mounted, rotating bull-gear with stationary powertrains mounted around its periphery. The gear teeth on the bull-gear rotate past the teeth on pinions, causing the pinions to turn and delivering power to each smaller powertrain. A controller regulates torque experienced by each powertrain to assure that torques are balanced between generators at any given system load. The control method comprises the programmatically continuously looping steps of measuring a system parameter to be controlled, such as torque and/or speed, selecting the optimal number of generators to be connected/disconnected to a utility line, incrementally connecting or disconnecting generators to achieve the point of optimal performance, measuring the parameters, such as current and/or voltage, of the connected generators and adjusting the generator parameters to fine tune the system for optimal performance.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 21, 2006
    Assignee: Clipper Windpower Technology, Inc.
    Inventors: Lawrence H. Howes, Amir S. Mikhail, Geoff F. Deane
  • Method of controlling electrical rotating machines connected to a common shaft
    Publication number: 20030057703
    Abstract: A controller for high torque, low RPM wind turbines and ocean current turbines. The turbine consists of a large, input power shaft-mounted, rotating bull-gear with stationary powertrains mounted around its periphery. The gear teeth on the bull-gear rotate past the teeth on pinions, causing the pinions to turn and delivering power to each smaller powertrain. A controller regulates torque experienced by each powertrain to assure that torques are balanced between generators at any given system load. The control method comprises the programmatically continuously looping steps of measuring a system parameter to be controlled, such as torque and/or speed, selecting the optimal number of generators to be connected/disconnected to a utility line, incrementally connecting or disconnecting generators to achieve the point of optimal performance, measuring the parameters, such as current and/or voltage, of the connected generators and adjusting the generator parameters to fine tune the system for optimal performance.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 20, 2002
    Publication date: March 27, 2003
    Inventors: Lawrence H. Howes, Amir S. Mikhail, Geoff F. Deane